The sweet tart combination of strawberries and rhubarb is a perfect match-up in this Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler. A buttery sweet biscuit topping is baked on top of a scrumptious filling made with fresh or frozen strawberries and rhubarb for an iconic summer dessert that is ready in under an hour!
Table of Contents
When sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb join forces, they create the most incredible jammy filling that is basically summer in one bite. I love this combo in any form, whether that's strawberry rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb coffee cake, or this strawberry rhubarb cobbler. This easy fruit dessert recipe is one of our favorite rhubarb recipes.
This easy strawberry rhubarb cobbler recipe with its golden brown crust should be at the top of your list for a classic dessert to make the next time you find yourself with an abundance of rhubarb. This is a great recipe to make with your kids because they love to help mix the cobbler topping and cut the fruit with a small knife and some supervision.
A really good cobbler is made with simple ingredients and has a classic cobbler topping with a biscuit-like cobbler crust. And this delicious strawberry rhubarb cobbler has just the right amount of crunch thanks to a light sprinkling of sugar over the top of the cobbler before baking.
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Strawberries - I've used fresh strawberries and frozen strawberries for this recipe and both work well. For medium to large strawberries I like to quarter them so they are about the same size as the pieces of chopped rhubarb.
- Rhubarb - Fresh or frozen rhubarb works equally well in this recipe. When rhubarb is in season and I can find it at the grocery store, I like to buy a lot and chop it into 1-inch pieces and freeze it for using all year long. I even have a post on how to freeze rhubarb that explains the best way to prep it for year-round enjoyment since it is one of my favorite flavors!
- All-purpose flour - The cobbler topping is essentially a cross between a sweet biscuit and a cake, so regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes it tender and light. You could also use a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour substitute for a gluten-free version.
- Sugar - You'll need enough granulated sugar to sweeten the fruit filling and the cobbler topping as well. I opted for all white sugar this time around, but you can do half white sugar and half brown sugar for the topping if you would like for a little more depth of flavor.
- Baking powder - This is our leavening agent that helps the biscuity cobbler topping rise.
- Cornstarch - I always have this ingredient in my pantry for thickening pies, pastries, custards, and anything with fruit that needs thickening.
- Salt - Brings out all the other flavors for balance so the dessert isn't overly sweet.
- Butter - I use salted butter in almost all my baking. If you only have unsalted butter, just add an extra ¼ teaspoon salt for each stick of butter.
- Hot water - The recipe calls for boiling hot water, but even very hot tap water will work. Or just microwave ½ cup of water in a mug for 45-60 seconds.
- Vanilla extract - For flavor complexity and depth.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
- Prep the fruit. Wash and hull the strawberries, removing the green leaves and cutting them in half or quarters. Wash the fresh rhubarb and chop it into about ¾- to 1-inch pieces unless you are using frozen rhubarb, in which case you don't need to thaw it first.
- Make the strawberry rhubarb filling. Combine the chopped fruit in a large bowl with the sugar and cornstarch, tossing until everything is evenly distributed. Transfer the filling to a 9x13-inch deep baking dish.
- Make the topping. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in another large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the hot water, mixing just until the dough starts to come together, then crumble it over the fruit mixture. Sprinkle a little additional sugar over the top for a little sweetness and crunch.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown on top and the tangy rhubarb and strawberry filling is bubbling around the edges of the pan.
- Serve. Let the cobbler cool for at least 15 minutes before serving with a scoop of ice cream.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can use a food processor instead of a pastry cutter. Just be careful not to pulse it too much and cut the butter too fine. If you don't have a food processor, two knifes, a fork, or even just your fingers will do the trick. You could also freeze your stick of butter and grate it over the flour mixture if that is easier too.
The stalks that are typically either pink, red, or green are not poisonous but the leaves of rhubarb plants are poisonous. So if you got rhubarb from a neighbor or your garden with leaves on the stalks, be sure to cut off and discard those first.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add some citrus. A little orange zest or a squeeze of lemon juice from half a lemon are nice complements to the flavor of strawberries and rhubarb if you have them on hand.
- Add extract or juice. Add a little almond extract or orange juice to the rhubarb strawberry mixture before topping with the cobbler dough for even more flavor.
- Change out the fruit. Swap out strawberries for cherries, raspberries, or peaches.
- Thickener. If you don't have cornstarch or tapioca, you can also use â…“ cup regular all-purpose flour to thicken the filling.
Storage Instructions
Store any uneaten strawberry rhubarb cobbler by covering it with plastic wrap and keeping it at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the cobbler either before or after baking. If freezing before baking, you can bake it from frozen just by adding 15-20 minutes to your baking time. If freezing it after baking, I recommend transferring portions to individual containers for easier thawing and reheating.
More Fruit Cobbler, Crisp, and Pie Recipes
- Southern Blackberry Cobbler Ice Cream
- Rhubarb Crisp
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
- Apple Crisp
- Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (Award Winning!)
Cobblers, Crumbles, & Crisps
Cherry Crisp
Cobblers, Crumbles, & Crisps
Homemade Peach Cobbler with Fresh Peaches
Cobblers, Crumbles, & Crisps
Old-Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 cups chopped rhubarb
- 2 cups chopped strawberries (1 quart)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch or quick-cooking tapioca
Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold salted butter, cubed (12 Tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup boiling hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, ¾ cup sugar, and cornstarch or tapioca. If using tapioca, let the filling sit for 15 minutes for the tapioca to absorb some of the juices of the fruit.
- Add the fruit mixture and any accumulated juices to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs about the size of peas.
- Add the hot water and vanilla extract to the cobbler mixture, stirring just until it starts coming together. It's okay if some of the flour mixture is still shaggy and not completely incorporated.
- Sprinkle cobbler topping mixture over the fruit filling in the pan, spreading it out evenly to cover the top. It's okay if there are some gaps where the fruit is showing. Sprinkle with 2-3 teaspoons additional granulated sugar for a crunchy sweet finish, if desired.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges. Cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying with a scoop of ice cream.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can combine the fruit filling up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator before making the topping and baking.
- Substitutions: If you don't have cornstarch or tapioca, you can also use â…“ cup regular all-purpose flour to thicken the filling.
- Storage: Store any uneaten strawberry rhubarb cobbler by covering it with plastic wrap and keeping it at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cobbler either before or after baking. If freezing before baking, you can bake it from frozen just by adding 15-20 minutes to your baking time. If freezing it after baking, I recommend transferring portions to individual containers for easier thawing and reheating.
Super delicious with nice crunchy topping. Don’t skip the sprinkling of sugar on top before baking. Made 4 individual cobblers in my mini Corning ware dishes. Enjoyed with scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Yummy!
Individual cobblers are the most fun!
Simply delicious! Easy. Filled my 9x13. I used my frozen sweetened strawberries. Made it on Monday. 3 of us had it devoured by Thursday a. M. I was afraid the cake part would get soggy but no way. Will be making it again for company on Saturday.